1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to information handling systems (IHS) and devices therein and more particularly to computers having a monitor that may be conveniently adjusted.
2. Description of Related Art
IHS equipment such as computers (including notebooks, personal computers, etc.) are becoming smaller in size, in part, for improved portability. A notebook personal computer (PC) typically has a main unit with a keyboard, and a display unit that is connected to the main unit in such a manner so that the display unit may be freely opened and closed as a cover on the main unit. When in a closed position, the display unit typically covers the keyboard portion of the main unit. When the notebook PC is used thereafter, the display unit is opened so that the keyboard of the main unit and the screen (i.e., monitor) provided in the display unit are exposed and viewable to a user.
Typically, a user of a portable PC will move the PC from place to place, depending on the user's needs. For example, a user may decided to use the portable PC at a remote location (i.e., a location away from user's home or office), in transit (i.e., such as on an airplane or train to a user's destination), and similar. In each of these situations, it is desirable by the user to be able to conveniently view the display unit of the PC.
It is known that numerous efforts have been made over time with respect to adjusting the position or the angle of the display unit of a PC to enable a user to easily view the screen of the display unit. For example, Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 5-36523 and Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 8-179854, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, disclose techniques for adjusting the position or the angle of the display unit of a notebook PC. According to each of these referenced techniques, the main unit and the display unit of the notebook PC are connected by an arm, wherein one end of the arm is connected by a hinge to the main unit and the other end of the arm is connected by a hinge to the display unit. By this configuration, these techniques disclose a manner for freely adjusting the height of the display unit relative to the main unit and also to freely set the angle of the display unit.
However, in the notebook PCs described in Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 5-36523 and Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 8-179854the display unit also tilts in conjunction with the movement of the arm when a user changes the height of the display unit by holding and moving the arm and some other portions. It is possible for a user to hold and move the display unit so that the angle of the display unit with respect to the user is constant. However, it is difficult to change the height of the display unit while maintaining the angle since the display unit is comparatively large.